“This is the first generation of people that work, play, think and learn differently than their parents. They are the first generation to not be afraid of technology. It’s like the air to them.”

– Don Tapscott –

Online Learning

The new generation holds a natural and positive attitude towards new technologies, taking them for granted as part of their lives. In fact, it can be argued that communication technologies have become ‘extensions’ of our mental and physical being. As new generations grow up in a time where technology is interwoven with their daily activities, it is to be expected that students will demand for a more integrated part of technology within their education. To cope with these changes and to be prepared for the future it is important to keep innovating, also within the academic field.

The worldwide demand for teachers in higher education will grow from 97 million in 2000, to 262 million by 2025. In India, there are 300.000 more lecturers needed to cope with the amount of students. To deal with such global challenges, new technological developments might offer solutions. Digital learning environments and open online courses, such as MOOCs, provide revolutionary access to education worldwide and aim to improve the didactic experiences of both teachers and students. Moreover, online courses can be used in research as well, to learn how we can enhance the impact of scientific research through education.

The Online Learning Lab

New media have become an integrated part of human lives. The Online Learning Lab is a response to global changes in online education and contributes in solving the demand for worldwide education. The Online Learning Lab explores how online learning developments can contribute to strengthen both university’s education and research, and explores the potential of online learning environments for the creation of new knowledge. This website aims to provide teachers, academic researchers, students and the general public insights and guidance into the possibilities of online learning innovation.

The future of online learning is just beginning and by exploring and harnessing the possibilities presented by rapidly developing information technologies, we hope to be at the forefront of innovating education. We ask ourselves questions as: how can we explore research methods through video, and how to use crowdsourcing and meaningful access to Big Data? We hope you will join us in our quest to innovate the academic paradigm and to disseminate information and knowledge into all corners of the globe.

Centre for Innovation

The Online Learning Lab is initiated and managed by the Centre for Innovation The Hague of Leiden University, located at Faculty Campus The Hague. The Centre for Innovation prepares Leiden University for the future by starting initiatives that connect societal challenges to technological trends. At the Online Learning Lab, we apply technology in learning and explore the possibilities of innovative education within the university. Do you want to know more about the Centre for Innovation? Click here to visit our website.